Helpful Marketing™ training by Kevin Dewalt

Chinaccelerator, 5/9/2014

Don’t try to find customers. Get customers to find you.

Helpful Marketing

A strategy for winning customers by proving you help them solve problems.

(or in a game … satisfy needs)

Why help customers?

Your Biggest Startup Challenge

Idea?

Product?

Money?

Team?

Errr….Nope.

Getting Customers!!!

Your biggest problem is …

… finding customers &

…… getting insight into their needs &

……… winning their trust.

Why help customers?

… they will find you &

…… tell you their needs &

……… instantly trust you.

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer?

3. What should I write about?

4. How should I write it?

5. How can I get them to find it?

6. How can sell to them later?

Today’s activity guide

I’m speaking – x mins total. Listen. 80 mins.No picture

Individual presentations – x mins total. Listen + Suggest. 55 mins.

Individual/team activity – x mins total. Create. 40 mins.

Group activity – x mins total. Share + Help. 85 mins.

10 Mins – Divide into groups

1. Divide into ~4 people/group

2. Repeat last person’s startup

3. Then intro your startup

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer?

3. What should I write about?

4. How should I write it?

5. How can I get them to find it?

6. How can sell to them later?

Target Personas bring focus

A fictitious caricature of your customers.

My “Dave” Target Persona

Dave is a 35-year-old American who lives in Wichita, Kansas. He is married, college educated, and has a daughter. Dave’s life dream is become an entrepreneur and sell web and mobile products online. He has a full-time job and is willing to work very hard to make his dream a reality. He has some technical skills but unfortunately doesn’t live near a startup hub - and thus he has a hard time connecting with entrepreneurs to get advice when he needs it.

10 mins – Create your target persona

See the checklist in your handout

10 mins – Share a few Target Personas

Read yours aloud: “Dave is…

20 mins - revise + share personas

1. Refine your persona2. Share it within your group3. Using persona checklist … evaluate

15 mins – Target persona tips, warnings, & questions

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer? ✔

3. What should I write about?

4. How should I write it?

5. How can I get them to find it?

6. How can sell to them later?

CUSTOMERS. DON’T. CARE.

CUSTOMERS. DON’T. CARE.

About ANYTHING but solving their problems

This is wonderful news…

Write helpful content

• What “super-powers” are you giving your Target?

• What can they IMMEDIATELY do after they read it?

This is the hardest part.

10 mins – How can you help them?

Come up with a problem they have and what you could write about to help them solve it.

10 mins – Share a few problems

1. Tell us your Target Persona

2. Tell us a problem they have

3. Tell us a solution you can write about

Warning! Don’t make this hard

You DON’T …

… need a hard problem.

…… need to be original.

……… need to be clever.

Are you helpful? Otherwise NOBODY CARES!

20 mins – revise + discuss your problems

1. Revise your problem/solution.2. Share within your group.3. Using checklist … give feedback & help.

Lunch!

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer? ✔

3. What should I write about? ✔

4. How should I write it?

5. How can I get them to find it?

6. How can sell to them later?

Write TO your Target

“Dear Dave, …”

Kevin’s Example

Problem: Startups told to move to SF but not sure if it is the right move.

Solution: Help them see tradeoffs of decision.

What’s the Difference?

15 mins – Outline the conversation

Develop an outline of how you’ll write to your target

Use the examples & checklists

10 mins – Share the conversation

1. Tell us your Target Persona

2. Tell us a problem they have

3. Tell us a solution you can write about

4. Pretend we’re your target – and talk to us

Tips

1. Clear problem & expectations

2. Specific solution

3. Personalize – your experiences

…

20 mins – revise + discuss your conversation outline

1. Revise your conversation.2. Share within your group.3. Using checklist … give feedback & help.

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer? ✔

3. What should I write about? ✔

4. How should I write it? ✔

5. How can I get them to find it?

6. How can sell to them later?

The magic word: Advice

Ask for feedback, help, and advice from influential people

Write down …

1. Everyone you know who fits your Target Persona.

2. Everyone who knows Target Personas.

3. Every place where Target Personas organize.

Then ask for advice

Email asking for advice

Hey Ray,

How are things! I just wrote a blog post and I was wondering if you know of anyone who could give me some advice on it. I’m trying to help entrepreneurs figure out whether they should do their startup in their home town or move to San Francisco. I imagine some of the startups you work with in Singapore have this question too.

Could I trouble you to give this a quick read and give me some advice? …

5 mins – Who can you ask for advice?

Write down a list of who, where.

See some suggestions

25 mins – Everyone shares

1. Tell us your Target Persona

2. Tell us about some Targets you know

3. Tell us some people who know Targets

4. Tell us where you can find Targets

Everyone else: offer to make intros

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer? ✔

3. What should I write about? ✔

4. How should I write it? ✔

5. How can I get them to find it? ✔

6. How can sell to them later?

Capture the relationship

Newsletter?

Product trial?

Landing page?

Social media?

15 mins – Discuss strategies

Just talk about your options & give each otherFeedback within your group.

Tips + Q&A on email

Our goals today

1. Why should I help customers? ✔

2. Who is my customer? ✔

3. What should I write about? ✔

4. How should I write it? ✔

5. How can I get them to find it? ✔

6. How can sell to them later? ✔

About Part B: 1-on-1 Help